Project information

Bone Marrow Transplant Suite

For the first time in Liverpool, we are uniting care for blood cancer and solid tumour patients. Our new cancer hospital will offer haemato-oncology services, including 15 bespoke Bone Marrow Transplant Suites, helping to treat all 137 types of blood cancer.

Charity information: The Clatterbridge Cancer Charity

Need

Blood is made up of different types of blood cells that originally come from stem cells that are made in the bone marrow (a spongy material in the middle of bones). Blood cancers develop when cells are not made properly as they divide & mature. The body then produces large numbers of immature blood cells that cannot perform their job properly and also ‘clog up’ bone marrow, preventing other types of blood cells from doing their job. Therefore need to replace damaged blood cells with healthy ones

Solution

15 Transplant Suites that will provide specialist isolation units, built with HEPA-filtered air flow systems that have at least 12 changes per hour, meaning that the air in the bedroom will provide a protective environment in regards to filtration and pressurisation. Also include en-suite facilities and an ante-room to ensure patients in isolation are protected during their treatment.

Aim 1

Develop Bone Marrow Transplant Suites that are fit for purpose

Activities

» Design the Suites in line with all necessarily regulations » Offer the most advanced equipment and resources » Provide a high spec space that enables the delivery of the highest level of cancer care possible » Ensure the highest level of comfort as patients may spend weeks to months in these suites

What success will look like

Developed dedicated Bone Marrow Transplant Suites that have been designed according to regulation guidelines

Aim 2

Ensure people are offered the highest level of cancer care possible

Activities

» Deliver a bone marrow transplant programme that is rated as 'outstanding' » Have an actual survival rate that is 'outperforming' the predicted survival rate » Deliver care that helps to extend a person's life, improve quality of life, and may aid in curing the underlying ailment » Improve patient experience of care, achieving better outcomes

What success will look like

Designed and implemented an 'outstanding' bone marrow transplant programme in line with key performance indicators

Aim 3

Achieve breakthroughs in blood cancer care and treatment

Activities

» Increase our research portfolio to make greater advances in research which will further improve specialist care for our regions cancer patients » Undertake pioneering research to help understand and treat cancer » Work collaboratively with research partners, e.g. Merseyside and Cheshire Cancer Research Network and the University of Liverpool » Disseminate key research findings to the wider cancer sector

What success will look like

Delivered research trials that help to inform the cancer sector across the world, and also achieve better outcomes for the patient

Impact

Long term we want to transform cancer support across Merseyside and Cheshire through our Transforming Cancer Care (new hospital) project. By providing the best cancer care we can to people with blood cancer, it is envisaged that the Transplant Suites will help to improve their quality of life and give them a better chance of survivorship. Success will be demonstrated through patient feedback, as well as the clinical performance of delivering cancer care in the Transplant Suites.

Risk

• Inability to raise the total funds required for the project – The project is part of our wider £15m New Cancer Hospital Appeal. Approaches will be made to community/corporate partners, as well as various trusts/foundations.
• Unsuitable Suites – The design of the Transplant Suites will be developed in line with all necessarily regulations, which will ensure that they are fit for purpose.

Reporting

We work closely with all our donors to update them on progress, for example written reports, exclusive visits to Clatterbridge, meetings with our specialist staff to learn about the haemato-oncology services we offer, as well as a behind the scenes tour of the new hospital.

Budget - Project Cost: £60,000

Location

The hospital will be an expansion of our services into the centre of Liverpool, putting us at the heart of the population we serve. 67% of our patients live closer to the new Liverpool site than our current Wirral site. Cancer touches all of us at some point with one in two expected to develop the disease over our lifetime. Our cancer rates are among the highest in England and it is the biggest single cause of death locally – greater than heart disease and stroke combined.

Beneficiaries

The project will make a difference to people who have been diagnosed with blood cancer and require a bone marrow transplant. The majority of these suites will have a relatives sleepover couch, which can be used for patients who require someone to stay overnight with them. This is particularly important, as transplant patients can spend anything from weeks to months in these suites, depending on their specific procedures.

Why Us?

We are a UK leader in the delivery of cancer care and making huge progress in the fight against cancer, leading the way in transforming cancer services across Merseyside and Cheshire. The integration of blood cancer and solid tumour services will make such a huge difference to patients who will experience seamless access to the same services and levels of care no matter what type of cancer they have.